Working Remotely as the New Standard

It seems to me that if all your work is done by computer, there’s isn’t much to keep you from working remotely, especially graphic designers. Long-standing businesses with dedicated servers on-site filled with years of assets & files may have complications, sure, but plenty of workarounds exist to suite most office jobs.

Maybe I’m just bitter about so many graphic design job listings in Los Angeles & New York City while I’m stuck in Charlotte for the next few years. On the flip side, design is rated among the top fields for remote working, & for freelancing it’s almost a given. Just maybe, on-site all-the-time jobs should evolve for the current world we live in.

Generations Y & Z are naturally adept at digital communication.

Sarah K. White, Senior Writer for technology news site CIO, confirms these people have grown up using mobile technology to communicate. Emphasis on mobile. As in, opposed to party line phones & snail mail. They’re requiring businesses to update communication methods to instant, more engaging tools instead of laggy business intranets & awkward bulks of email. This same group prefers face-to-face talking rather than digital communication, but maintains the quality of tools directly affect their productivity. I can relate.

Electricity & an Internet connection are all the major requirements.

Working remotely is feasible if I have electricity & an Internet connection for my computer. Technology lets me to do it all from my apartment in Charlotte, a ski lodge in Alberta, or my friend’s house in Nagoya. Google Drive, Slack, Skype, & other tools keep everyone on the same page. And as a graphic designer my creativity is always with me anyway.

More people want the option to work remotely.

Global Workplace Analytics shows that as much as 90% of the workforce want to work remotely. So pretty much everybody. Imagine nobody popping up behind you every 20 minutes. Maybe That One Guy sends emails then immediately walks over to talk about them. That freak. If people quit butting into your time, then you could get some real work done. Not to mention rush hour traffic twice a day.

You could work in the most inspiring environment.

Some up-to-date businesses have actually productive workspaces that look pretty good. But too many people are still stuck in soul-sucking cubicle farms geared towards cost convenience. And that cheap office coffee isn’t doing anyone any favors. Where would you work if you could work anywhere? Would you get your work done at a hotel in Italy, then tour the town at night? For working remotely I’d prefer my cubicle be a cabin in the mountains, if I may. Definite creativity boost right there, & bonus points if it rains.

If you happen to live anywhere on the planet & need a graphic designer,be sure to send me a message; I’d love to hear about your project! Or leave your thoughts in the comments below!